Disabled AF features a list of talented collaborators – including disabled actors and crew – who come together to bring a unique and beautiful story to life. The well-executed themes of overcoming family dynamics, understanding the character’s motivations, and the topic of disabilities are on full display in this entry for the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge (EDFC).
Founded by Nic Novicki, the EDFC is an annual five-day competition in which filmmakers must create original three-to-five minute films based on a different theme each year. This year’s theme is buddy comedy.
Several RespectAbility Entertainment Lab Alumni served in roles both behind and in front of the camera for Disabled AF, including: Director, Writer, and Actress Cashmere Jasmine (2021); Writer and Producer Ariel Baska (2022); Writer Ophira Calof (2022); and Producer Kiah Amara (2021).
In Disabled AF, Jess (Jessica Mikayla) is moving out, and her friends Marsha (Marsha Elle) and Imani (Jasmine) are down to help, until they realize they have a traitor in their midst. The short film not only entertains but also educates – showcasing an authentic non-apparent disability, which often is underrepresented in film.
Migraines are a shared lived experience among the writers, director, and star of Disabled AF, so the creative team leaned into this non-apparent disability while writing and making the short film.
“We wanted to show both the damaging effects of migraine, and the harmful effects of self-denial,” said Baska. “The story of the making of the film includes real-life intersections with this lived experience. The rescue medications shown onscreen are the actual rescue medications used by one of the producers.”
The team had just five days to complete this film challenge. In the process of making the film, the lead producer, Ariel Baska, had a compound migraine that took them out of the process of physical production for the first part of the shooting day.
“Because of the culture of care created on set, with Disabled cast and crew, recovery time was provided and other members of the team, most notably Kiah Amara, stepped up to make sure everything ran smoothly,” Baska explained.
The team demonstrated the need to prioritize self-care and the importance of being able to ask for help from others – mirroring themes from the film they created.
“We hope viewers will take away from Disabled AF that self-denial is damaging, that migraines really are more than just a headache, and the importance of intersectionality in showing three Black friends caring for each other,” Baska added.
In addition to a powerful story, Disabled AF showcases stunning cinematography that enhances the emotional impact of the story. At just under five minutes in length, Disabled AF is a much-watch for anyone looking for a moving and visually captivating short-film experience.
